The Cardinals will use a four-man rotation for the short-term and could potentially do so until August, as they have an off-day after each of their next three series. Miller is in his second full season as a starter and the club has been looking for a way to give him some rest. A temporary trip to the bullpen appears to be the plan.

“How long that lasts, I’m not going to say [it will be through the end of] the month,” Matheny said. “We’ll see how guys look and feel. He’s ready to go [in the bullpen]. As far as how we use him, it’s how we need him.”

After finishing third in the NL Rookie of the Year balloting last season with a 3.01 ERA over 31 starts, Miller has struggled to the tune of a 4.29 ERA and 73/54 K/BB ratio in 109 innings over 19 starts this season. His strikeout percentage is down eight percent from last season while his walks have increased by 3.5 percent. It’s a troubling combination.

If Kelly doesn’t pull it together and Miller remains in the bullpen, I think we will have a pretty good idea that something more than fatigue is in play.
Sure hope Kelly does get back to form or they are going to have a pitching problem that very few would have predicted.